Beyonce not booked to perform in Israel
A representative for Beyonce has denied reports suggesting the superstar is set to perform her first ever concert in Israel this summer (14).
Rumors recently surfaced alleging the Halo hitmaker would take her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour to Tel Aviv's Park Haryarkon on 15 June (14), marking her Israeli gig debut.
The date and location had not been added to her official tour
schedule on her website, but the online claims prompted a number of
protesters to band together and call on Beyonce to reconsider the
show due to the continuing conflict with Palestine over the Gaza
strip.
The Change.org petition, titled Don't Play Apartheid Israel!, urged
the singer to "stand on the side of justice and cancel her concert"
to avoid playing to a "segregated audience" in a country which is
"a persistent violator of international law and has failed to
respect fundamental human rights".
The campaign had already garnered over 2,700 signatures by Friday
(21Mar14), but a spokesperson for Beyonce has since denied the
reports.
A Twitter.com message posted by an editor for the Associated Press
reads, "@Beyonce won't be heading to Israel for a concert. Her rep
tells @APEntertainment that reports about Bey performing in Tel
Aviv are false."
The superstar is currently on the second leg of her European tour,
which is due to end in Lisbon, Portugal next week
(begs24Mar14).
Rocker Roger Waters has been leading a boycott of Israel in recent
years and has previously won the support of artists like Stevie
Wonder and Elvis Costello, who have cancelled gigs in the country
due to the increased pressure.